


A Court of Starlight and Moondust

by votive



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Detectives, Fae & Fairies, Fantasy, Fluff, Gay & Homophobic, Homophobic Gay, Human/Monster Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Kidnapping, M/M, Mafia (vague mention), Misunderstandings, Modern Fantasy, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:48:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29727864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/votive/pseuds/votive
Summary: Maverick Faedryian had spent years of his life on the run. For 9 years he lived off what little life had given him, and he did so with great ease. His face faded into the crowds, his name was barely muttered, and knowledge of his existence was minimal. That was until he comes up short on next months rent and relapses into old habits.After stealing from the wrong family, Maverick finds himself between two choices. Either accept the deal of a mysterious fae who promises not to turn him over to the police, or face off against a large mafia that won't think twice about leaving him dead in a gutter.
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Comments: 5
Kudos: 4





	1. February

**February 24th**

  
Maverick pressed his back against the brick wall. Orange eyes scanned the back-yard for the third time, triple-checking he was alone in the night before slipped his fingers under the crack he had made in the window and pulling it open. His breath hitched like he was expecting an alarm to go off. Nothing came. It was only him, and the winter chill that ran up his spine.   
  
With little struggle, Maverick pulled himself through the window and landed safely on the carpet floor inside. His eyes trailed around the room, finally settling on the bookshelves that lined the room. There was an unsettling emptiness that lingered on the shelves where books may have once been, and in the dark of the night, if the little moonlight that shone through the window did not slither its way onto the dusty shelves, he would have believed that they had been swallowed by a hollow darkness that had taken home in each row of rotting wood.   
  
He took a steady step into the room, taking in a breath of the stale air around him. The few spots of wall that had been left exposed between the bookcases had begun to peel. Their once yellow paint had begun to turn to an ashen grey.   
  
The carpet beneath his feet kicked up a thin cloud of dust, adding onto an already thick layer that caked a rotting wood coffee table in the center of it all. He ran a gloved finger over the smooth top, leaving a cheeky heart imprinted as he pulled away and patted his hands clean.  
  
He refocused his attention on the only door leading out of the abandoned study. He tried his weight against the floor before creeping silently up to the knob. After preparing himself mentally, he paced his breathing and chose a good to prey too.   
  
The door cracked open without a sound, sending a shock of relief through his body as he took another cautious step forward into a large hallway. His gaze darted around each dark crevasse off the halls until his eyes adjusted.  
  
It was long, but compact. On one side there was a small mirror resting above a dark oak desk, both resting against freshly re-painted wallpaper. Starkly different from the white-red theming on the right, was the crumbling decay of the left side of the hall.   
  
Large holes exposing the interior structure of the house were paved over with large abandoned spiderwebs and paint shavings that had peeled right off the wall. Dust bunnies occupied the floor, attching themselves to his boots as he made his way over to the mirror.  
  
Maverick stood in front of the mirror for a few seconds, letting his eyes register his image in the darkness. A few stray strings of bright pink hair snuck out from under his black beanie, which he neatly tucked back in. His round chin dipped into the collar of his crimson turtleneck, which wasn't something he would usually wear for the occasion, but it was the second best thing he could find on short notice. For a few seconds he mourned the loss of all the black outfits he had left behind at each move, though he knew better then to get sentimental over trivial things.  
  
He rocked back on his feet nervously. Three months ago to the date he had moved to London. Bright eyed and hopeful that this would be his last move for awhile. About two months ago, he got hired at a local pub as a bartender to word odd nights. It was everything he ever needed to start another new life as _Marv Nowak_.  
  
Until it wasn't.  
  
Until his landlord raised his rent on short noticed.  
  
Until he was put back into debt, _again._  
  
He looked back up at his reflection, the relaxed expression he once had was wiped. His brows furrowed in anger as he turned his back on the image. He knew better. He had better options. _Legal_ options, but he dashed those away with a shake of his head.  
  
He was here for one reason, and it wasn't to reflect on the past. He made his choices, he had to stick with them.  
  
It wasn't like he was going to be taking much, either. It was only one or two easy to miss trinkets, something that might take months or even years to notice. Just something that would sell easy to a pawnshop, no questions asked.   
  
It's all he needed.  
  
At least, that was what he told himself as he continued to creep down the hall, coming short of an unlocked door. He waited for a moments with his ear pressed against it, waiting for any noise that wasn't his own heart beat. After a few seconds, he quietly pushed his way inside.

Inside was a large desk, toppled with paperwork that created an outward barrier around it. On one side of the room was a large glass case home to hundreds of trophy's and photos, mirroring it's sister from across the room, who was stuffed full of useless trinkets and expensive jewelry on display for the entire world too see. To remind them of how rich the family truly was.  
  
Dropping defense for a second he walked up to the case, trying his luck at the lock, before defecting too the desk. His eyes scanned the papers, curiously looking them over until he noticed the bright silver laptop hidden underneath a particularly large stack. A part of him screamed at him not to take it, that he was better then this- but when live gives you lemons, you steal a rich man's laptop.  
  
Without missing a beat Maverick shrugged off his backpack into the chair sitting at the desk before beginning to pack away the laptop along with it's cord. His eyes passed over the papers sat on top of it, just barely managing to make out a few words in German, though he didn't pay much attention as soon as he zipped up his new possession.  
  
He did a once over of the desk's compartments, shuffling through more useless papers, staplers, and thumbtacks until finally finding the poorly hidden key wedged between two boxes of unopened staples. With a wide grin, he opened up the display case and started rummaging through that as well. Nothing was off limits too his dusty paws until he found what he was looking for.  
  
Nothing looked particularly good to sell to a pawn shop without arousing suspicion. Though, the aged box of unsmoked cigars were certainly screaming his name. His finger twitched towards them as he reached into the case, but instead he found himself reaching for a new looking watch that had just begun to collect dust. He slipped it into his bag along side a small elephant figurine that was encrusted with armor made of jewels.   
  
As soon as both were safely in his bag unable to make noise, he backtracked his steps. Re-hiding the key, closing the door and doing a double take of the empty study to make sure nothing was out of place say from the heart he left in the dust. Finally satisfied with his check he climbed back out onto the grass, crouching against the wall as he wiggled the window closed.  
  
Small white flakes soon began to accumulate on his clothes as he made a final look back on the house after making it to the out-skirts of the property. He bid farewell to the small hole in the stone wall protecting the lands, smiling to himself as he snuck back into the heart of the city through a back alley that took him far away from the family's house.  
  
For a few seconds he tried to walk slowly down the streets, though the buzz of pulling off a successful heist after a few years got to him, and he soon found himself pounding against the pavement as he rounded yet another corner towards his apartment.  
  
The scenes replayed in his head again and the again, keeping his brain occupied as he came up around the side walks edge.  
  
Something smacked into him, sending him tumbling to the ground until a hand found it's way to his lower back. He stumbled forward, trying to catch his balance before pulling back as the person holding him tightened their grip. He could barely make sense of his surroundings, his brain spinning from the shock of running into someone along with the high of getting out unscathed.  
  
"Ay... that was quite the fall, are you alright?"  
  
"...huh?" Maverick blinked a few more times before turning up to look at the stranger towering over him.  
  
The man was nicely dressed in a dark blue trench coat and matching scarf. His dark blue hair was pulled into a tight pony tail, with two strands of curls falling down his face, opposite of each other. He stood with his back against the light of the shops behind him, making the illumination of his eyes impossible. Yet there was a toxic green haze around them.  
  
  
"My, that fall must've knocked more than your brain." The man muttered to himself as he took a glance around the street before looking back down at Maverick. "Can you see straight?"  
  
"Huh? Oh..." Maverick's gaze fell away from the man as his cheeks heated from the embarrassment of being caught staring. He tucked his chin into his turtleneck before responding again. "I'm fine, thank you. I'm sorry for running into you."  
  
"Nothing to apologize for, your folk are quite clumsy at night."  
  
"My 'folk'?" Maverick tilted his head before looking up to catch the man's unblicking gaze.

  
"Ah, nevermind." The man paused before laughing politely. "I do hope you don't mind me asking, but what would someone like yourself be doing out so late at night?"  
  
Maverick opened his mouth to respond, before hesitation take hold of him. Something was off about the man. His shoulders were stiff and square, his posture unnaturally straight. His body barely moved with him, staying still as if it was it's own unit detached from his body. Then there were those eyes... They watched him, unblinking in the shadows. Like a cat eyeing it's prey, sizing it up before an attack. It was enough to cause him to take a cautious step back before replying.  
  
"Walking." He replied, shoving his hands in his pocket to search for the pocket knife he had brought with him.

  
"At this hour?"  
  
"What, is there a new law requiring permits to walk at night? What's it to you." Maverick replied curtly as his fingers curled around the cool steel. He wasn't going for subtly as he pulled the knife from his pocket and flashed it in the light. The man raised an eyebrow curiously, but didn't move an inch as Maverick began to back away.  
  
"I'd be careful then, Sir. You wouldn't want to be caught doing something you shouldn't." The man called out from behind.  
  
Maverick froze. Adrenaline began pumping through him, screaming at him to take another step forward, then another, but he couldn't help himself from looking back at the man.  
  
He was as still as a statue as his eyes continued to lock onto Maverick's figure. His face had been tilted slightly so that there was just enough light to reveal the devious smirk that curled on his lips. The man's flashing smile showed off the sharp fangs that curled around the bottom of his lip, threatening to pierce through the exposed skin. Large pointed ears that jutted out from his head were now visible and distinct, rather then blobs of shadows his mind could barely make sense of.

A new panic started to set in the longer he looked. A growing horror came over Maverick as the man flexed two large wings that were easily twice his size. Then in a flesh, it was gone. The wings had vanished in a blink of the eye.  
  
For years of his live, he had to sit and listen to folk stories about the little creatures that lurked the mortal world disguised as humans. Disregarded bedtime stories of his youth that were nothing more then that, just stories. Though his mother had insisted they were warnings, important lessons about the tricky words they would use to capture humans in a game that only ended in loss. A game that never ended in victory for the human.  
  
_A faerie._  
  
"Are you insinuating something, Mister?"  
  
"Oh no, nothing at all. Nothing that could be proven anyways. Just an observation from a concerned witness."  
  
Maverick opened his mouth to respond to the man, but before he could get out another word the man had already crossed the street. His figure quickly fading into a dark alleyway.  
  
For the rest of the walk home he tried to keep his mind off the fae. Though he could barely keep his thoughts straight as the lingering feeling of being watched set in. Even after he had gotten home, the feeling refused to fade until his door was locked.  
  
He stood in the open room for a few seconds, collecting his thoughts before setting down his bag on the raggedy couch that came with his apartment. He headed straight into his bedroom, pulling out a white box from under his bed. Trinkets and knickknacks rattled around the box as he carried them out of his room. He sorted through the items before pulling out a horseshoe that he struggled to hang above the door frame. After a few tries he managed to balance perfectly, provided no one slammed a door too hard on his floor.

  
Shaking off the lingering feelings of the encounter, his excitement soon returned to him as he pulled out the laptop from his bag. His fingers ran across the smooth keyboard. He let out a small snort as the screen to booted up, popping up a prompt for the password too _Mrs. Ainsworth_ 's account. He snuggled deep into the couch's cushions as he held down the home and r button, moving around the prompting for a password.  
  
At first, he was a bit disappointed. Everything on the computer seemed to have been left untouched. It still ran the basic start-up background and default browser built into the computer. At a quick glance, he wasn't even sure that "Mrs. Ainsworth" had used the laptop for more than a few minutes, other than setting up an admin account and password. Until he accidentally clicked into one of the generic looking files on the desktop.  
  
Maverick felt his blood begin to run cold as he clicked into the first few documents, he barely had enough time to read the first few words before he instinctively clicked to close the window. He repeated the process a few more times, getting through the first few lines of each document before hitting close. The intoxication of his excitement ran thin as soon as his eyes glanced over the audio and video file types. Without thinking he slammed the laptop closed and tossed it in between his legs.  
  
He sat in silence unsure of what to do. What to think. Surely it wasn't _his_ fault that the people he stole from were caught up in a _murder cover-up_.  
  
  
Maverick's eyes focused on the silver laptop. His heart pounding in his ear as he moved to reach for the phone in his bag. His hands hovered over the call button as he punched in the emergency number.   
  
_What am I doing?_

He clicked the phone off before tossing it against the coffee table. His eyes were drawn back to the laptop before he aggressively shoved it in-between the cushions. He couldn't run the risk of the police being involved in the cover up, nor the risk the chance of them _not_ being involved and still taking him in for grand theft.

In a jail cell.

Until news broke out.  
  
About a specific man.  
  
A very specific man with bright pink hair that was dry due to dying it so often. A very specific man with bright orange eyes that no matter how many times he tried to wear coloured contacts, you could still see an orange ring. A very specific man who had spent too many years on the run and had escaped far to many holding cells for petty crimes.   
  
That would be the news that would break.   
  
After a few more minutes he hesitantly reached for the laptop, trying to suppress the tremor that broke out in his hand as he slide it back into his pack. It was simple. All he had to do was return it. Everything would be fine afterwards. Even better he could keep the watch and the figurine.  
  
So everyone was happy.  
  
A wave of exhaustion fell over him as he eyed his phone, flashing the time. It was too late to go back now. The peak of sun would be up in just a few more hours, and a return run would be disastrous if he didn't get even a few minutes of sleep.  
  
He let his eyes close for a few seconds as he drummed up a plan. He had the day off tomorrow, so he'd just wait until dark, drop off the laptop back in the room, run back home and pretend that nothing happened. Then he'd wait a few more days, sell the figurine and the watch, move cities again and never look at news of their family ever again.  
  
It was foolproof.

**February 25th**

Maverick watched in horror as a figure circled the outer-grounds of the small stone manor. They continued to bob in and out of the shadows, gaze focused more on the outer fence of the property rather than the house in front of them.   
  
He felt is blood beginning to boil, mostly in frustration as he pulled away from the crack in the wall, sliding his back against the smooth stone. He unstrapped hisbackpack, holding it in his arms as he listened to the figure loudly cross the yard again.  
  
He tried to tune out the sound of boots against grass, instead turning towards the low hum of the sleeping city. The anger that was built up in him quickly dissipated, replaced with a tranquility as he let his shoulders relax to the sounds of the city.  
  
A few minutes had passed before he reopned his eyes. A distinct lack of snow being crunched under boot startled him out of his momentary rest. He turned to peer through the wall again, only to met with a pair of bright green eyes. They stared at each other, daring the other to move first. Maverick could see recognition in those eyes, or maybe it was excitement as the fae's face fully emerged from the hole, followed quickly after by his body.  
  
Fear took hold of Maverick, gluing him to his spot in the snow. He flinched as the fae reached out for him, just narrowly missing his shoulder as he suddenly jolted up. The fae swung backwards in surprise, falling back into the snow as Maverick raced down the street.

The certaintity of death pushed him forward. He didn't want to die, at least not there. Not by the hands of a fae, in the darkness, in the cold, outside some rich white person's house. That was the worst fate possible.   
  
So he pushed forward.  
  
He didn't fully remember where his apartment was. All important information had escaped him with the only thing propelling him forward was that dread, and the feeling of being watched.   
  
Darting down another empty alleyway, he tripped over a stray beer bottle, toppling him into a dirt patch in the middle of the pavement. He held still, panting in the cold winter air, trying to catch his breath as his lungs screamed in pain. His mind was fuzzy too- so fuzzy, roaring with so many thoughts and emotions, but the loudest of them all screamed for him to keep running. He wasn't safe yet. He'd never be safe until he was under that horseshoe.  
  
Maverick stumbled back to his feet, falling back on a brick wall for support as he looked over his shoulder.  
  
Nothing was behind him. No eyes staring from behind the shadows. No looming figures on the opposite side of the street. There was nothing but the chill of winter on his nose and the blur of tears.  
  
After catching his breath fully he limped back to his apartment. Snuggling down in a long sleeved shirt and an oversized hoodie in an attempt to breed out the chill that ran down his spine every time he closed his eyes and saw the strikingly green glare back at him.

**February 28th**

Maverick slung his co-worker's arm over his shoulder as she stumbled into him, nearly toppling them both into the street. A man called out behind them, one of the regulars Maverick had come to know. He was a big burly man who tended to keep the peace when nights got rowdy at the pub.   
  
"Are ya sure ya two can make it by yaselves? Don't need any 'elp?" He slurred in a thick Scottish accent.  
  
"No, it's okay!" Maverick replied quickly as he pulled his co-worker to her feet. "We live close by so it won't be too much of a hassle."  
  
While it wasn't technically a lie, Maverick knew it would be at least an hour until he could crash into his own bed. Though, he couldn't leave his co-worker alone. She was having a rough week, he was having a rough life. You're supposed to look out for each other in those situations, right?   
  
At least, that's what he tried to tell himself as they stumbled through the sidewalk, only illuminated by the occasional lamp post or passing car.   
  
His grip tightened around his co-worker's waist, pulling her closer to him as he scanned every dark craves in the area that could perfectly hide someone.   
The sinking sense of hopelessness had returned to him the moment he stepped out of the bar. His skin prickled with feeling of being watched from all over. That he was being followed no matter where he went.   
It had been awhile since that night, the laptop was still sitting untouched in his bag. He was positive he had taken enough backstreets and alleyways to deter and followers of his, but clearly that wasn't enough for a thing that wasn't human.   
  
Every once in awhile, he would close his eyes and see those green eyes, glowing in the dark of his mind. Watching him like prey to be hunted. Even in his dream he couldn't run, the fae always stalking up to him reaching out for him, before he woke up in a cold sweat.  
  
He turned his attention to his co-worker who let out a tired groan as she was continued to be pulled along. She tried carrying on a one-sided conversation with herself, cleansing himself of the dread that had built up over the entire walk. As long as they were together, he was safe. He pulled her closer.  
  
They stopped just outside of her flat. The night gone cold and dry as snow began to fall. His co-worker clung to him as her roommate tried to pry her off of him. He gave her a small hug as she tearfully let go of him, waving him goodbye as she let out a small laugh. Her roommate looking unamused as she shut the door on Maverick's face.  
  
He stood stiff. Staring down the door, like he was expecting for someone to come out and walk him home in return. So he wouldn't be alone. So he wouldn't be watched.  
After a few minutes of waiting in the cold, he finally turned around and began walking back to his flat. He continued to look over his shoulder every few seconds, unsure if the footsteps in the snow where his own, or if they belonged to someone else. 


	2. March

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> March of Maverick Faedryian's life.

**March 3rd**

Maverick stepped into the alleyway, the smile on his face quickly fading as soon as the pub door closed behind him. The all too familiar feeling of nausea quickly washed over him as he contemplated heading back in to ask if someone could walk him home.

He already knew the answer to the unasked question. No one knew where he lived. No one could know where he lived.

The cold air passed through his lungs, breathing a fresh sense of hope into him as he reassured himself that tonight was like any other.

Turning onto the sidewalk he broke out into a jog. He kept a careful watch behind him, eyeing every slight movement that caught his eye. The shadows seemed more dangerous than usual, more active with life as people, _things_ , swirled behind their cloak of invisibility.

His eyes combed the street again as he approached his block. With all his attention focused in front of him, he just barely caught the figure in front of him as he turned the corner.

The two collided together, though not much of an impact was made on the man he ran into. Without muttering an apology, the man bent down and offered Maverick his hand, sending his heart sinking.

The fae stood motionless and unblinking with his hand extended towards Maverick, just as their previous encounter had gone.

Maverick smacked away the fae’s hand, turning to point the knife he had pushed from his pocket at him instead. It wasn’t an intimidating knife by any means, but it was made completely out of cold iron, and in his mind, it was the only thing that would allow him to walk out of this meeting alive.

As if on command, the fae retracted from Maverick, taking large steps away from his knife as what sounded like a low hiss escaped from his mouth before he could repress it. He let out a loud cough to distract from the hiss as they stared at each other awkwardly.

"I'm afraid we might've gotten off on the wrong foot under... extreme circumstances." The fae started, his voice devoid of all emotion even as he eyed Maverick as he got to his feet.

"You've been stalking me for weeks."

"Again, I reiterate the 'extreme circumstances'."

Maverick huffed angrily with his knife still pointed towards the fae. He doubled down on his grip in an attempt to stop the slight shake in his hands. A breeze blew past the two, lifting the hair off his neck momentarily, though he wasn’t positive it was the cold that was causing him to shake.

The fae’s eyes remained on this knife as he cleared his throat. Tucking his hands behind his back, he took a cautious step in front of Maverick, careful to keep his distance.

“My dear thief, I will not try to waste your time. I have a proposition for you. One I feel might greatly benefit the both of us if we play our cards correctly.”

Letting out a scoff in response Maverick eyed the fae with suspicion before gesturing for him to continue. From the fae began to pace, holding a hand against his chin in thought. The sudden movement surprised him, and he took a few steps back in response with his knife lowering in fear.

“I’m sure you’re well aware by now that the Ainsworth’s are on the hunt for their beloved, missing laptop.” The fae turned on his heel to face Maverick. As suddenly as he began he had stopped, a grin on his face as he stared directly into wide, orange eyes. “It also happens that they hired a private investigator, namely, me, to retrieve said laptop from the clutches of the most wicked thief who has stolen from them.”

Maverick raised an eyebrow at Ciaran, before hissing at him to finish. “So? Spit it out, Fae.”

“I have strong reason to believe my newest client is tied to a case I’ve spent many years working. A string of murders of political leaders, prominent actors, public figures, even eventually an up and coming pop idol.”

"So... you just want the laptop?" Maverick lowered the blade to the side, leaving an opening for the fae to take a step closer.

"Quite the opposite. You see, I'm required by contract to return the computer as soon as it falls in my possession, but I need that laptop as part of my investigation."

He stood silent for a few seconds, his gaze falling to the floor as he processed what the fae had said. A shiver ran through him causing the blade in his hands to drop against the pavement. “No. No, absolutely not. I’m not working with a fae to catch a bunch of serial killers. I’m not putting a target on my back for something like you.”

“You won’t have anything to worry about as long as I’m here,” The fae smirked as he circled Maverick before stopping behind him. He placed a gloved hand on Maverick’s shoulder as he leaned in to whisper. “You see, I happen to pride myself on not letting informants of any kind fall into bad luck. You have my word on that.”  
Immediately Maverick’s shoulders tensed upon contact. His touch was icy cold, soaking into his winter sweater and sapping any warmth left from his body. The fae squeezed gently before letting go.

"How do I know you aren't just trying to trick me?” Maverick finally spoke up. “For all I know, you could be setting me up.”

The fae looked slightly surprised by the question. His mouth parted slightly as he scrambled to come up with a response. For a few seconds, he stared through Maverick before speaking again. “Ciaran.”

"Ciaran?" He cocked his head to the side. What the hell _was_ a Ciaran?

"My name. A human can have a lot of power over a fae as long as they know their true name."

"Ciaran...." Maverick's tongue rejected the sound at first. Coming out slurred as if he was doing it on purpose, but after a few tries, he managed to pronounce it exactly as the fae had said it.

As soon as he re-made eye contact with the fae, his face began to heat up. He was grinning wildly as Maverick’s poor attempts at saying his name, though all he wanted to do at that moment was shrivel up and die so he’d never have to look the fae in the face again.

“O-okay, Ciaran. I’m willing to work with you on this case under one condition.”

"Anything."

"Never ask for my name."  
  


**March 4th**

_“A deal without a name? Just what kind of game is he playing?_   
_I should look further into this… Hey Mint-”  
  
_

**March 5th**

Maverick eyed the fae with suspicion as he stood politely awaiting an invitation inside. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to let the fae in, though a part of him still hated the idea, it was that he was one of two things.

Short and stubborn. Being short wasn’t usually an issue for the most part, though he hated how much previous friends and exes teased him for his height. Being stubborn wasn’t too bad either, though it did drive some people away, he didn’t count himself as a very friendly person, to begin with.

The combination together though posed… an issue.

The fae waited patiently outside the door, leaned up against the door frame as Maverick made another attempt at swiping the horseshoe right off the frame. Another failed attempt.

“Correct me if I am mistaken, but don’t you have any chairs? Desks? Surely there’s something you can stand on so you don’t have to keep… jumping…”

Maverick fell flat on his ass this time, glaring up at the fae, insulted by his suggestion. “It’s no longer about getting the horseshoe down, it’s about my _dignity_.”

“I can assure you that’s something you didn’t have to begin with.”

“Do you want access to the laptop or not!?” Maverick huffed as he clambered to his feet to make another swipe at the horseshoe.

The fae staring in boredom before rolling his eyes. “Of course I do, or else I would’ve gone back to my office, Oh about twenty minutes ago.”

“ _Aha_!”

Maverick tumbled onto the ground, falling back on his feet into a crouched position as he held up the horseshoe in his hands. Satisfied with his work, he looked up at the fae with a wide smile on his face.“Ta-da, now you may enter free of charge at any time.”

“Much appreciated.” The fae replied drily before taking a step inside the apartment.

The fae looked around each room curiously as Maverick trailed close behind him until he stopped randomly in the living room.

“You certainly are going for…” He paused taking a second take of the mostly empty room say from a couch, coffee table, and a little T.V that most likely was missed by its original owner. “Minimalism?”

“It’s called being poor.” Maverick laughed as the fae cringed in response. They stood looking at each other for a few seconds before Maverick turned around to face the couch.

The fae looked over his shoulder curiously, looking a little surprised when he whipped back around to reveal the laptop that had been hidden underneath the cushions.

“Well, there you go, the laptop. Just like you asked. So…”

“Hm?”

“Take it. Do what you need with it and put it back when you’re done.”

The fae tilted his head curiously as Maverick shoved the laptop into his hands. “But I’m staying here to use it.”

“Oh no, you’re not,” Maverick placed his hands against the fae’s back, beginning to shove him towards the front door. “You came here for the laptop and the laptop only. You can use it for however long you need, but you cannot stay here.”

Without missing a beat the fae leaned back against Maverick, putting all his weight against the man who faltered in his step. They both came crashing to the floor with the fae resting ontop of Maverick, crushing him.

“Holy shit, you’re heavy.”

“And you’re a lot weaker than I expected my dear thief, you barely even put up a fight-”

“Because I wasn’t expecting you to crush me.” Maverick hissed as he tried to squirm free of the fae’s weight. After a few seconds of trying he gave up, resting his head against his hand as the fae turned the laptop on, using him as a pillow.

“This wasn’t in our deal.”

“Deals can encompass the unexpected parts of life,” He hummed, trying to keep his eyes focused on the laptop’s screen, but eventually strayed towards Maverick. He titled his head back slightly, pushing a stray strand of hair from his face.

Maverick perked an eyebrow in response to the staring, letting out a sigh as he folded his arms and rested his chin against them. “So are you going to get off of me now?”

“Are you going to kick me out if I get up?”

“If anything, this gives me more reason to kick you out.”

“Then I don’t see our situation resolving any time soon.”

An angry huffed came quickly after, as Maverick threw up his arms in protest. “Fine! You can stay! Just get off of me, I need to do my laundry today.”

Finally satisfied, the fae sat up, the laptop still in hand as he continued to click through the files. He tried to contain the little smile on his face as he fell backward onto the floor as soon as Maverick stood up.

Maverick paused to stand above the fae, staring down at him as he tried to hide his face behind the laptop’s screen. “You know, you’re a dick, right?”

“I’ve been called worse,” The fae hummed again, letting out a little chuckle as Maverick shook his head and moved to step away.

“If this is how you treat all your informants, then I hate to know how you’ve gotten this far.”  
Just as he was turning to walk away a whisper caught his ear. No, it’s just you. Maverick opened his mouth to say something but quickly shook it off, leaving the fae to work by himself.

**March 6th  
**   
_“I probably shouldn’t have done that… He already hated me as is.”_

**March 9th**

Maverick tossed his keys on the coffee table before collapsing onto the couch. He listened in silence as a presence made itself known beside him, stirring up from the chair as it crept behind the couch and loomed over him.

"You could ask before you enter my house." Maverick groaned as he sat up, nearly hitting the fae in the process. "Aren't their rules about fae entering uninvited?"

"You did invite me in, remember? ‘You may enter free of charge, at any time.’”

With a scoff and roll of his eyes, Maverick took a mental note to double check his words before speaking. That was on him. He should’ve known better than to invite a fae into his house. But it was too late to take it back now.

The fae fell back into his seat, pulling the coffee table over to him with his foot. After setting down the laptop against the surface, he held out his hand up in the air for a few seconds where nothing happened until he swiped down suddenly.

He rested the newly found notepad against his knees, beginning to scrawl strange, curly text across its lines as he hummed a new tune. He tapped his foot in tune with the song, the curls against his cheeks popping with his head.

Soon the fae was completely entranced with his work, Maverick’s presence fading into the background. Even when Maverick sat against the chair’s armrest, watching him work silently for a few minutes till he lost interest.

His attention turned towards the kitchen, the knot of not eating all day growing larger until his hands pressed against the fridge handle. He hesitated, knowing full well the current state it sat in.

Apart of him wanted to believe that the fridge would’ve magically restocked itself since it didn’t seem entirely too out of the realm of what had been happening in his apartment for the past few days.

He cringed before letting go of the handle, knowing it was better to check the cabinets first, which were equally as empty.

An angry huff startled the presence behind him as the fae tilted his head curiously to the side. “Are you okay?”

“Peachy.” Maverick stepped to the side, walking out of the kitchen with the fae creeping close behind. A visible shaking broke out in his hand as the fae continued to trail after him, only stopping when Maverick fell into the couch once more.

He stared at him with blank eyes, standing above the couch as if waiting for a command to follow.

“Knock that shit off, you’re creeping me out.”

The fae seemed to zone back in at the comment, shaking his head in surprise. A soft apology was muttered before returning to his seat.

It felt like this was how most of their interactions went, caught on a broken loop. Maverick got home, the fae would already be there. Then after five minutes he would get up and follow Maverick around until he was dismissed.

That would be fine in of itself, but it was the way he stared blankly with no emotion. How he barely reacted to Maverick when he spoke. It was all so terrifying. It was...

He shook his head free of those thoughts, moving onto his side to bury himself into the couch cushions. He had to stop dwelling on it. This was only for the time being, in a few weeks he’d be gone. They’d never see each other again.

“Are you alright?”

The fae’s voice startled him to his feet. He looked around the apartment for him, before recognizing the figure back at his chair, sitting with his legs crossed and a notepad pressed into the chair’s arm.

“Again, I said I’m fine.”  
The fae pressed his lips tightly together before turning back to his work. His eyes momentarily flicked up to glance at Maverick.

“Okay then. Is something bothering _you_?”

“Hm? Oh, nothing. You seemed a bit agitated.”

His brow furrowed upon reflex, his glare at the fae being more aggressive than intended, but nevertheless, he continued with his work. “It's just work stuff. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Is that so?” The fae perked up, his attention turning away from the laptop as he set it off to the side. “Why don’t you tell me about your day then.”

Maverick hesitated, eyeing the fae with a skeptical look before relaxing his shoulders. He let his gaze fall to the floor before speaking. “Dunno, just been rough. My favorite regular hasn’t been showing up lately. He usually keeps most of our rowdier patrons in check so…

“It’s nothing too bad, but I did get knocked flat on my ass today though. Noelle lost her shit-” Maverick let out a little laugh as he rubbed the side of his head, tracing his fingers down his temple.

“Ah... Who’s Noelle?”

“Oh, she’s my co-worker. She’s really sweet. Apparently, she sniffed me out and traded shifts just so we could work together. According to her, any gay person could smell the fruit from a mile away.”

“Fruit…?” The fae twisted his head to the side, one brow perked in confusion.

Maverick stared at him, opening his mouth for a second before quickly shutting it. With a shrug of his shoulders, he dismissed the question. “Don’t worry about it- but hey. That’s enough about me, what about you?”

“Nothing.” He replied flatly, shifting back into the chair. “It’s all very important evidence, incriminating even, but even if I brought this to the police alongside everything else I have it’ll just be thrown out.”

“Really?”

“From the look of things currently, they’ve paid off large sections of the police force to toss out anything mentioning my main leads…” He picked up the laptop again, twisting it around towards Maverick. “See?”

“Damn, I guess it’s good I didn’t call the cops then.”  
The fae nodded as he pulled it back to him, beginning to click through the files again. “Agreed, you would’ve been dead before you even got to the precinct.”

Maverick choked at the thought. The last thing he wanted to do was die at the hands of some dirty cop who probably wouldn’t even hesitate to pull the trigger. The cover-up would follow too. Would his mother ever find out? Or would she have been killed too? “Delightful.”

“So, my dear thief, might I ask you a question?”

“Only if I get to ask you one in return.”

The fae thought for a moment before nodding. “A fair trade of information, I agree.”

“Then ask away.”

“I’ve spent about 120 years doing this job, so tell me out of those 120 years of research, I still can’t pull up a single file on you.”

Maverick scoffed, though he could feel the heat in his chest start to pick up the pace. _Maybe you weren’t looking hard enough, I’m very easy to find._ “You’re looking in the wrong places, detective, you should know that.”

“I supposed you’re correct… however,” He straightened up in his seat, pulling the notepad back into his hand. “Every time I try to look into you a new name comes up, such as this one here, ‘Mars Nilsson’, arrested for shoplifting.

“You wouldn’t happen to know about that now would you?”

“Supposed I did. I think you’d have to wait on asking me again,” Maverick folded his hands against his stomach, in thought. “Now, tell me, detective. What’s got you so interested in me?”  
“The lack of a name, for starters. Though the complete lack of history and paper trail has also drawn me in. The way you hold yourself, cocky and proud, though the way you run when confronted. The way you successfully steal from a well-known rich family’s house without a second thought, but you shrivel up at the slightest bit of danger. Should I go on?”

“Oh? So I intrigue you, is that it?”

“I think you said it best when you told me to wait my turn. So, thief, ‘mars Nilsson’, was it?” The fae gave a mischievous grin as he watched Maverick squirm a little under his gaze. After a few seconds, he let out a sigh.

“Might’ve known him. He was long in the past, though. He doesn’t exist anymore.”

“‘He’?”

“Yes.. ‘he’. Mars Nilsson. He was a good person until he got arrested. Died in that holding cell.”

The fae’s twisted into realization as he nodded, pulling out a pen to scribble onto his notepad. “Why did he have to die?”

“He got caught.”

They both fell silent, with the only sound to fill the apartment being the fae’s writing. Eventually, he shifted back in his chair, gesturing for Maverick to return his question with one of his own.

“Hypothetically, if you found out more about me, what would you do with that information?”

“Well, I supposed I’d keep my own personal file on you,” The fae shrugged. “Another case for the stack.”

Maverick sat up with furrowed brows as he looked up at the detective. His mouth opened but all that came out was a sigh. “So, I’m just another case in your investigation against the mafia.”

“I wouldn’t say that, I’d say you’re more like a personal project.”

“Oh, even better.” Maverick huffed as he moved to stand up. “I think that’s enough questions. I’m going to bed.”

“Ah- Hold on a second,”

“What?” Maverick snapped, startling the fae to fall back into his seat.

“I apologize for my words, I can see now that they have angered you.”

“Please, a lot more than your words have angered me.”

“Is… is that so?” The fae’s face fell as his eyes were trained to the floor. For a moment, Maverick felt like he was yelling at a lost puppy who didn’t know any better, but it quickly returned when the fae replied. “Like what?”

“Oh, well, let’s see. Since we first spoke you’ve continued to push me around, and even worse, you trail my every step from the moment I get home. You never look at me like I'm a person, every time I turn around you’re staring at me blankly.” Maverick’s voice raised with his frustrations, gesturing wildly with his hands as he paced the length of the couch.

“At this point, you’ve pretty much just confirmed I’m not even a person. I’m just another file in your resume, so you can get hired by stupid humans who write their names away to solve then mediocre problems.”

The fae opened his mouth to speak, struggling to find words before Maverick cut him off again.

“Just leave. Don’t even bother with the laptop anymore.”

“But our deal-”

“ _Ciaran_ , I said leave.”

Maverick shut his eyes, listening to his heart pound in his ear as the fae began to pick up his things one by one. After what felt like ages and not hearing the door close, he reopened his eyes expecting to see the fae standing in front of him, babbling for words of forgiveness.

But he was alone.

Guilt began to settle in his stomach as he crawled towards his bedroom. The memory of a forgotten bottle of wine left under his bed was his only comfort as he settled in the darkroom.  
  


**March 9th**

_“I did it again. I can’t keep driving away my Informants… maybe I should speak to Mint about this. They’ll know what to do.”_

**March 12th**

Maverick stumbled up his steps in complete darkness, just like old times. His thoughts were buried under a heavy cloud of liquor, just visible enough to register his door at the end of the hall. Sure, he might’ve had one or two more drinks than he usually would, but that wasn’t going to kill him.

It was that detective’s fault. He needed to get out of Maverick’s head. He had been living there for three days too long. It was the only thing that weighed on his mind from sun up to sundown.

A short laugh escaped from his lips as his mind dwelled on the fae. He was so annoying. Blood boiling annoying. With his stupid Irish accent, and his dark blue hair he always kept twisted in a ponytail.

His green eyes that always fell on him in the end… when he’d shift in his seat to mimic the way Maverick sat. Or when he first leaned against the kitchen counters and nearly hit his head on the wall because he was just too damn tall to rest comfortably against them.

Maverick’s face screwed up as he tried to shake his head free of the fae. The image of the fae’s pained face as Maverick screamed at him to leave, it refused to leave him. He wanted to take it back, a few seconds into their conversation.

A thousand different questions had come to mind since then. _What do you do in your spare him? What’s your plan with the case? Why’d you become a detective? Do you have any friends? Any family? Do you have a phone number-_

He shook his head at the last one. It was already too late to change his question.

Maverick focused the last of his remaining energy on fitting his key into his lock. With the last of his brainpower spent on the detective, it took him at least three tries before he finally pushed in the door.

He tumbled into his apartment, landing face-first into the cheap hardwood floors. He laid flat on the ground for a few seconds before stirring back to his feet to look at what he had just tripped over.

A small cardboard box wrapped in a thin red ribbon sat at his door stoop with a card tied neatly to the top. Without thinking Maverick leaned down to pick up the card, stumbling through the strangely curvy words that barely looked like English to his drunk mind.

The only thing legible from the card was the large string of numbers at the bottom that Maverick wasted no time at all punching into his phone. Without thinking he accidentally hit call and dropped his phone in a panic.

Maverick scrambled with the box in hand into his apartment, accidentally kicking his phone into a wall when an Irish accent spoke up on the other hand. A new panic began to set in as he fell again as he went after it, eventually catching up with the device.

“Hello?” He panted into the receiver. There was an audible shuffle on the other before a reply.  
“Ah, thief. It’s you, I’m glad my package got to you safely.

“Yep, yes. Safe. Thank you, thank you a lot, that was very nice of you.”

“Say… what was that noise just before-”

“Oh! Nothing, aha you know how it is. Noises. In phones. I’m tired, are you tired? I have to go to bed, I just got home from work. I’ll call you in the morning-”

“There’s something I wanted to ask you-”

“Bye!”

Maverick smashed his face into the floor, repeatedly hitting his head against the wood until he felt satisfied with his punishment. The heat of embarrassment had begun to drain from his cheeks, but the sound of the fae’s voice replaying in his head brought it back.

Pushing himself up off the floor Maverick hauled the box into the kitchen, setting it against the counter to begin sifting through the contents, praying it hadn’t gotten damaged in the fall.  
The contents were mostly unharmed, though not much harm could fall to them as a lot of it were cans of food, with a few frozen meals in the mix.

Maverick shook his head towards the box, letting his cheeks warm up gradually as he flipped the card in his hands. The gradual scent of cedar emanating from it caught his attention, and he lifted it to his nose.

Cedar. Smoky with the slightest bit of rain. His shoulders relaxed as he took another inhale, his mind slowly unclouding until he reopened his eyes.

He moved quickly to put away the food, leaving the box and its ribbon open on his counter as he moved into his room.

As soon as his back hit the mattress a wave of drowsiness crashed over him. For a few seconds his eyes shut, his brain flicked off and he felt like nothing. It was just him and sleep. Until his phone vibrated in his pocket.

The number the fae had given him had texted, a goodnight of some sort, followed by an apology. Against his better judgment, he pressed a finger to his lock and pulled up his text messenger.

**March 10th**

_“Thank Cassiopeia, he finally called me._   
_“I should invite him to that restaurant opening by the office… I’m sure Mint won’t mind.”_

**March 11th**

Sun filtered in between the blinds, casting a golden ray against Maverick’s chest as he slowly sat up in bed. His head pounded against his skull, reminding him of just how many drinks he had managed to throw back before getting kicked out.  
  
His phone fell from his chest onto his legs, lighting up from the movement to reveal the missed texts he had gotten from an unknown number over the night.

Maverick squinted at the screen, rubbing at his eyes until one of his contacts popped out. A wave of panic surged through him as he immediately began searching the covers for the missing pair.

A wave of despair hit him in the chest as he remembered the forgotten contact case on his nightstand. His last pair. Meaning…

He stumbled out of bed, patting around the drawler of his nightstand until he finally found his glasses. The fuzz of his room quickly fixed into sharp corners, and clean edges.

His mind fell back towards the phone resting against his pillow. Curiosity taking hold of him as he scrolled back to the first message sent into the chat. Slowly he began to scroll, his heart slamming into his mouth as he caught up to the most recent message.

_I hope it’s not too much trouble, but if I remember correctly today is your free off. A new restaurant has been opened near my office, and I had booked a seat thinking I could reserve a table for one person, but they require you to bring a partner with you at the first opening. Don’t worry about any expenses, I’d be paying for the both of us._

_If you’re free, the booking is at around 10 tomorrow. Feel free to get to me before then and we can make it a date._

Immediately Maverick began typing up an apology for his reckless messages and accepted the fae’s invitation without a second thought.

The pit of guilt in his stomach soon began to settle as he rolled out of bed. A lunch, out of his house with the fae- it was just what he needed to apologize and start fresh with the fae.

Maverick rubbed his face, picking and pulling at his skin in the mirror in amazement as the trail of freckles on his neck was seemingly starting to spread onto his face. With a pep in his step, he headed straight into a shower, humming to himself until a knock came from the front door.

Panic crept in as he stumbled out of the tub and into a towel, diving for the phone he left on the bathroom counter. _Great, I'll head over now then._ Was all that the fae had sent.

“Hold on a minute!” He shouted from the bathroom, heat rising in his cheeks as the front doorknob began to twist. “I said hold on a damn moment-”

It was far too late. The fae looked up in shock as the last bit of Maverick’s figure dove into his bedroom and slammed the door behind him.  
Maverick cursed the fae over and over in his head as he knocked against the bedroom door. Embarrassment swept over into anger as he bunched up the soaking towel and threw it at the door.

“What part of wait do you not understand?!”

Nothing came from the other side, but he could see the shadow of someone take a few steps away from the door then leave. Relief swept over him as he continued to search for a clean outfit, though he still cast-half glances towards the door every so often.

Maverick emerged from his room, looking over his apartment for the fae who sat slumped forward on the couch, his hands pressed to his face in deep thought until Maverick tapped him on the shoulder.

He startled out of thought, quickly moving to his feet to greet the man behind him. “My sincerest apologies, I didn’t realize you were… preoccupied when you had texted me.”

“It’s fine, just wait for me to let you in next time,” Maverick sighed as he nodded his head towards the door. “Let’s just hurry, save the talk for the walk.”

The fae nodded, following quickly behind Maverick as he moved to lock the apartment behind them. As soon as the lock clicked, he turned around to face the fae who stood motionless.

“Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Are you taking me to this restaurant or not?”

Realization dawned on him followed by a quiet oh, he quickly jolted forward out of the complex. Holding the door open for Maverick before offering his arm.

“Getting comfortable now are we?”

“Oh… I suppose we’re not in the fae realm now are we.”

Maverick patted the fae on the arm softly, as he gave a polite laugh. “I suppose not.”

The fae’s eyes trained towards the sidewalks as Maverick picked up on the gentle warming of his cheeks. Maverick hadn’t gotten much time to study him, up close, but couldn’t help himself nearly bumping into him as he got a second look.

A straight jaw pointed a clean smooth face. His hair today was pulled into a tight bun with a light blue flower looped into it. He traded the light grey vest he always wore for a more casual approach with his black button-up and dress pants.

For a moment, Maverick considered asking the fae if he had any other clothes but held his tongue instead focusing forward. He had already spent an embarrassing amount of time staring, he didn’t need to wrack up anymore.

The restaurant was far nicer than Maverick had first considered. As soon as he stepped into the building he felt completely out of place.

He didn’t have many fancy clothes, his grey sweater over a clean white shirt and a pair of jeans was just about the most formal outfit he could afford. Which was not the vibe the restaurant gave off.

Maverick hesitated before stepping into the building, feeling like at any moment a waiter would ask him to ‘kindly’ leave the establishment. Yet the fae still prevailed with a polite smile as he gave his name for the reservation.

He did a quick scan over the crowd as the waitress led them to their table. He locked eyes with a few patrons, who all leaned into each other to begin whispering amongst themselves. _Rich people_. The thought disgusted him. _Straight white rich people_. Even worse.

His stomach churned as he took a seat at their table. All desire to eat leaving him the moment the menu was set in front of him. He looked up to the fae, pleading that he’d change his mind, that he’d see the fear in his eyes and they’d both turn around and go home but…

They locked eyes for a second, the fae giving him a reassuring smile, a kind nod that everything was going to be okay and the tension lifted from his shoulders.

At first glance, the fae didn’t look like he was dressed for the restaurant either. If anything, more people were looking at him, whispering comfortably at their seats just loud enough that they were still within earshot of surrounding tables.

Maverick admired his ability to brush off the gaze of everyone around them and tap his menu against Maverick’s before asking, “Any ideas about what you’re ordering?”

“Oh, um,” He glanced over the menu a second time. His stomach still churned at the thought of ordering something to eat, and the prices of each dish didn’t add much in the way of comfort. “What are you getting?”

"A glass of water, probably."

"Just water?”  
  
“Hmm… maybe with a little lemon slice too. I’m not feeling particularly peckish for human food currently.”

Maverick stared up at the fae, raising his eyebrow curiously as he set the menu against the table. “So you’re not going to be getting anything?”

"No, I'm not. Why?"

"Why did you reserve us a table if you’re not ordering?”

“I wanted to do something nice for you to make up for the previous night,” The fae folded his hands together on the table. “I thought a lunch out would also be a good time to talk.”

“About?”

“Hello, are you two ready to order?” A waitress cut in before the fae could respond. She waited patiently for one of them to respond as they traded awkward glances with one another.

“Yes, actually,” The fae started, pointing towards a random dish on the menu. “Could we get two orders, please? One to go, one for here.”

“Sure thing, and would you like a drink with that?”

“A water with a lemon, please.”

“Coming right up, thank you, Sir.”

The fae tried to turn his attention back towards Maverick, but the chair was empty. He jolted up in shock, looking around the restaurant for the pink-haired man, only to find the top of his head by the outside window.

A few minutes had passed, but it had felt like hours for Maverick. His heart was still caught in his chest, blocking the air in his throat. He could barely tell what was happening around him, it was all blurring. Loud. It moved too quickly, but it also stopped randomly.

He couldn’t hold himself up anymore. A hand caught his arm just as he was about to fall. The fae. He was back. He was there. Again. He didn’t want to be seen like this, but he welcomed the touch as the fae gently rested him onto the sidewalk.

The fae sat down beside him, glancing over to check on him every other minute until Maverick stopped shaking. Until the air in his throat came undone, and the knot in his stomach tying him down came loose.

They sat together. Not speaking until a woman, the waitress came out carrying a little bag with the food and rested it beside him. They exchanged words, but Maverick couldn’t catch any of it outside of the pounding in his ears.

A drink passed in front of him, supposedly enticing him in as the fae took a sip of his own. Hesitantly he took it with a shaky hand.

“I’m sorry, again,” The fae whispered, his eyes glued to the street in front of them, bustling with mid-day life. “I should’ve just ordered something to eat out.”

“No, No it’s fine. This one’s on me I…” Maverick shook his head, taking another sip of his water. “Anxiety, you know? Well, maybe you don’t. I don’t know a lot about fae, actually.”

The fae scratched the back of his head for a moment before turning to face Maverick. “Well… I can say we experience anxiety, for one. You don’t usually see it in any of the courts though they beat any emotion out of you early.”

Maverick cringed as the fae gave an awkward laugh.

“Though, my sister, she loved people. She was a lot better at making friends than me, but… she always got anxious before big social events. I’ve spent hours in my room together, she’d bring her violin and I’d play the piano with her until she stopped shaking.”

The fae closed his eyes as he spoke, humming the tune of a song as he swayed his head gently back and forth. Maverick looked down into his lap, before taking a breath and joining him in humming.

When he reopened his eyes the fae was smiling, a real smile that wasn’t out of politeness. Maverick turned away burying his face behind his hand as the fae beside him let out a full laugh and playfully poked him in the shoulder.

“Maybe we should duet sometime, you’re not half bad.”

“Ahah. Sure. I don’t think I’d be anywhere as near as your sister.

“Ah, Niamh..” The name sounded foreign on the fae’s tongue, the relaxed expression turned into alarm as soon as the name fell from his mouth. Like it was forbidden. Something that shouldn’t have been said.

“You said you played the piano right?”

“Oh, yes.” The fae snapped out of his thoughts, his expression softening again as he caught Maverick’s gaze.

“I can’t play the violin, but I can play the guitar and a bit of the cello.”

“Oh really? You don’t look the type.”

Maverick let out a laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck. He slumped forward as he pulled his knees against his chest. “My dad was a pretty well-known classical musician before he died. My mom convinced me to pick up the cello when I was a kid,

“I sort of migrated to the guitar when I was a teen, but I’m sure a bunch of rebellious kids did the same.”

“A man of many cultures, I see.”

“Yeah, yeah sure.” He scoffed, rolling his eyes toward the fae. “I wouldn’t call knowing how to play ‘Hey Judge’ on guitar culture.”

“Well, if you care to know what I think-” The fae was cut off by the melodic chime of his ringtone. He paused for a second as he read the ID before answering it. He whispered an apology towards Maverick, handing over the bag of leftovers before getting to his feet.

The person on the other end quickly began rattling off, in a half-screen as the fae kept it right to his ear. He rested his back against the street corner, just a few yards away from Maverick until the call was over.

The playful exchange had come to a close as the fae bent down to Maverick’s side. “Well, you won’t believe who just called me.”

“Your boss?”

“One of my bosses, I’m technically a contracted worker. But you would be correct, it seems some new information has popped up and they want me at their house as soon as my ‘lazy ass’ can get there.”

Maverick could already feel the disappointment settle in as soon as the fae opened his mouth. It was like at every single turn, just when he was starting to feel at ease, something ripped it straight from his hands.

“Hey, don’t look so sad my dear thief,” The fae aggressively ruffled Maverick’s hair before offering a hand up. “I’m free the day after tomorrow. You choose the place, and I’ll pay. How’s that?”

“Sure,” He mumbled. He still didn’t want to say goodbye, he wasn’t ready when he hadn’t even gotten to apologize. “Hey- Wait, Ciaran.”

“Hm?”

“Marick. Please call me Marick, instead of a thief.”

“Marick,” The fae- no, Ciaran, tested the name out on his tongue before a smile curled on his lips. “Dedicated to Mars… Lovely name. Okay Marick, until we meet again.”

“Until..” Maverick whispered, watching as Ciaran’s figure disappeared into the crowd. The lingering sensation of his words still rattled around his head.

**March 11th**

_“Dammnit, I forgot Mint’s leftovers! I’m sure Marick wouldn’t mind if I swung by later tonight…?”_   
  


**March 31st**

Maverick rested against the back of the couch, reaching for the remote beside Ciaran. The current running headline catching his eye as tapped the fae’s shoulder.

They both watched wordlessly as the young reported recounted the story.

_"Second youngest Ainsworth child found washed up on the coast of Spain."_

In the corner of his eye, Maverick could see Ciaran’s shoulders tense up. He quickly closed the laptop and set it aside before reaching for his notepad and pen.

He didn’t speak a word as he a double-take of the apartment until he got to the front door, leaving Maverick in shock as he waved goodbye.

“I’ll be back soon. Feel free to call me if you’re in any danger.”

It was a month before they ever saw each other again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wrote this chapter like months ago and it got changed so much i literally dont think i can call this the same chapter LMAOOOOOOO  
> anyways i hope you enjoy <:

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you enjoyed the first chapter of budget ACOTAR :)


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